


When We Fell Asleep

by lighthousesoffalsechoices



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-23 06:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21316066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lighthousesoffalsechoices/pseuds/lighthousesoffalsechoices
Summary: Neither Naruto nor Shikamaru could have known that their sons wouldn't wake up the next morning.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 129





	1. Desperation

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This will be a multi chapter fanfic. All kudos and comments are highly appreciated!  
Please enjoy!

When Naruto Uzumaki came back home that evening he had been pretty tired but the moment he had opened the front door and had been received by his beautiful little girl jumping around happily and his grumpy yet eager son appearing with a smirk right behind his sister had been more than enough to wake him up. So he lifted Himawari in his arms and twirled her around in the air for a moment before smiling brightly. She giggled at that and Boruto put his hands on his hips as he watched with fond eyes. 

“Daddy is home! Daddy is home!” Himawari said happily as if there really was a need to announce it and Naruto couldn’t be happier. 

“How’s my little princess doing?” He asked her as he nuzzled his nose against hers. 

“I’m okay, daddy! Onii-chan was making dinner!”

At that Naruto blinked and quickly looked at his son who shrugged. 

“Mom had to go see grandpa so she left me on charge, she said she left a message letting you know. Did you even check?” The boy arched an eyebrow and Naruto chuckled nervously. 

“Well, not really. It’s good I’m back early though!”

“Oh so this is early?” Boruto was most definitely not amused. 

“It’s okay, onii-chan! Daddy is home now!” Himawari said as Naruto gently set her down. Boruto sighed and smiled at her. 

“Go wash your hands, Hima. Dinner’s almost ready.” He said before looking up at his father “You too, old man. I don’t want your germs around.”

“You’ll be such a great mom, Boruto!” Naruto teased and the boy’s cheeks turned pink.

“Stupid old man!” He exclaimed before leaving to go to the kitchen. Naruto laughed before going to the bathroom to wash his and Himawari’s hands. 

\--------------------------

“I’m home…” Shikamaru said quietly as he opened the door to his house. He could already smell the delicious food his wife was preparing. He yawned behind his hand as he removed his sandals before fully entering. He looked around and blinked before going to see Temari “Hey there.”

“Oh? Welcome home. I didn’t hear you enter.” Temari turned around and Shikamaru walked up to her to kiss her softly before looking over her shoulder.

“What are you making?”

“Chicken noodle soup for Shikadai and Miso for us.” She answered and Shikamaru tilted his head. 

“He’s not feeling good?”

“Inojin walked him home. Our kid was burning up. I already asked Sakura to take a look at him, luckily it’s just the flu.” Temari frowned and Shikamaru sighed deeply “You should wake him up. He’s probably tired but he has to eat something.”

“Already on it.” Shikamaru said as he started walking to his son’s room. Once he made it to the door, he knocked softly and when he didn’t get an answer he opened the door slowly and turned on the lights. His child groaned from his spot under the blankets and Shikamaru walked up to the bed “Shikadai? How are you feeling?”

“Troublesome…” The boy said quietly, his voice was shaky. Shikamaru quickly put a hand on his forehead.

“Well, you at least don’t have a fever. Go wash up and come have dinner. It’ll make you feel better.”

“I don’t wanna, dad…” Shikadai complained as his father helped him sit up gently.

“Then I’ll bring you dinner, but you’re still having it. Damn, you got it bad.” The man sighed as he took a good look at his son’s pale face. 

“I know...The only good part is that I tripped over Inojin today.”

“How is that good?”

“I don’t know, it was funny.” The boy then coughed a bit “You should have seen his face.”

“I bet it was only funny because you were running a fever.” Shikamaru sighed “You’re a troublesome kid.” He said fondly yet with a huge amount of concern.

“I know, dad.”

\--------------------------  
“That was delicious, Boruto!” Naruto exclaimed happily as he rubbed his tummy, Himawari nodded with a big smile on her face. Boruto didn’t show it, but he felt rather proud of himself. 

“Someone had to feed Himawari.” He said and Naruto smiled at him. 

“Thank you, Boruto.” He said softly, meaning it from the bottom of his heart. He knew his kid wasn’t really happy about this, he knew he still hated his Hokage job but he also knew they had overcome many obstacles together after the big incident during the Chunin exams. Now Naruto did his best to be home more often and Boruto understood him and his job a bit better, he was a bit more patient. 

“Daddy! Tomorrow is ‘parent and child’ day, right?” Himawari said excitedly and Naruto nodded happily.

“It sure is! I already set everything up to spend the day together, okay?”

“You promise?” The girl asked with light in her eyes and her father nodded his head. 

“Of course!”

“Yeah, you better not lie this time.” Boruto threatened but with no real malice in his voice. Naruto shook his head.

“No more lying.” He said but before the conversation could continue, the door opened and Hinata walked inside. She sighed tiredly but smiled softly at the sight of her family together at the table “Hina.” Naruto stood up and walked to her, he kissed her and Boruto made a gagging sound as Himawari giggled. She just kissed back before smiling brighter “Welcome home.” He said and she nodded.

“I’m back. Did you get my message, Naruto-kun?” She asked before going over to her children and kissing their heads. The Hokage smiled nervously. 

“Uh...No...But it’s okay! I got here early. What happened?” He blinked as she sighed deeply. 

“Hanabi called me because father fell ill. I stayed to help her look after him and make sure it wasn’t serious. He’s better now but she asked me to visit again tomorrow.”

“That’s okay, I’ll be home tomorrow.” Naruto smiled and Himawari looked up at her mother with worry in her eyes.

“Is grandpa okay?”

“He is, Hima. Don’t worry.” Hinata said tenderly “He’ll be all good again in no time. He’s just a little sick now.” Her daughter nodded with a smile and Boruto stood from the table. 

“I’ll go train.” He said as he went to grab his things. Naruto stood up as well.

“I’ll go help ya!”

\---------------------------

“Alright, Shikadai’s already sleeping again.” Shikamaru said as he helped Temari with the dishes “I made him take the medicine Sakura left for him. He said he was feeling a bit better.”

Temari sighed and nodded “You should have seen him, Shikamaru. Inojin was practically carrying him.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” He asked and the woman arched an eyebrow.

“Why would I call you? You’re a cry-baby. You probably would have started crying before calling Sakura. I could keep a cool head.”

“You’re an evil woman.” Shikamaru sighed and she smirked. 

“Someone needs to wear the pants in this relationship.” She teased and Shikamaru chuckled before walking up to her and wrapping her arms around her waist. 

“I don’t mind it when you take control…” He whispered against her ear and she blushed. 

“I’m trying to wash up, idiot.” She said but didn’t continue. 

“Oh come on, the dishes can wait for a bit and Shikadai’s out cold.” He lifted his hands but before he could touch anything she slapped them away.

“Not here. What if Shikadai wakes up?”

“Then let’s go.” He begged her and she sighed deeply before turning around to face him, a smirk on her face and a glint of playfulness in her eyes.

“You’re so troublesome.”

“I’ve been told.”

“We are checking on Shikadai right after.”

“Of course.”

\----------------------------

Around four hours later, at exactly four forty-five in the morning, the Uzumaki household was rather calm. Boruto and Himawari were sleeping in their rooms while their parents slept together on their big bed. Naruto was snoring lightly, an arm wrapped around his wife’s waist from behind. Everything seemed to be going just fine except for the black figure that suddenly opened Boruto’s window. 

It walked up to the headboard and looked down at the twelve year old boy as he dreamed away, completely unaware of the hand caressing his forehead. 

But someone in the house was well aware of it.

“Naruto! Naruto! Wake the hell up!” Kurama growled inside of the man who groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

“Kurama?” He questioned in a whisper, not wanting to wake Hinata up and not really having the energy for more.

“I feel an unknown presence and it’s coming from your son’s room.”

Naruto’s eyes opened wide at that and he quickly untangled himself from his wife before getting up fast and rushing over to his child’s room. 

“Boruto!” He exclaimed as he opened the door but blinked when he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. He quickly went to check on the child and sighed in relief when he noticed he was just sleeping and seemed to be completely unharmed “What the hell was that?”

“I swear I sensed it, kit.” Kurama growled from inside and Naruto nodded.

“I did too. But nothing’s wrong.” He whispered as he looked out of the window. He frowned “Didn’t I lock it last night?” He wondered as he walked over to it to close it again “Was...Was someone really here?” He then opened it up again and looked outside, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“No one is around, kit.” Kurama said and Naruto nodded slowly. He locked the window close before grabbing his son’s chair and sitting down on it next to the bed “You’re staying here?”

“I don’t want to take any risks.” Naruto folded his arms across his chest and let the soft snoring from his son lull him to sleep. 

\-----------------------------

In the Nara house, more specifically in the forest, the deer suddenly woke up. They lift their heads and got up. At first they only walked around in circles before suddenly running over to the entrance door, hitting it repeatedly with their antlers as if trying to wake the humans up. 

Shikamaru groaned loudly when someone slapped his cheek “Wake up, Shikamaru! The deer are really nervous!” Temari frowned deeply as she grabbed her fan. The man blinked and got up from the bed when he heard all the noise. 

“What’s going on?” He quickly rubbed his eyes.

“I’ll go check on Shikadai, you go to the deer.” The woman ordered and the man nodded before rushing outside. 

Suddenly the noise stopped and Shikamaru frowned deeply when he noticed the animals seemed to be calm, as if whatever was bothering had disappeared out of nowhere. He knelt down and pet their heads “What happened, guys?” He whispered.

Right before Temari opened the door of her son’s room, the dark figure standing right next to the child’s bed removed it’s hand from his forehead and disappeared into thin air. 

“Shikadai?” She said in a loud voice and quickly looked around before rushing to his bed. She uncovered his whole body looking for any injuries before putting the back of her hand above his eyes. She sighed deeply “No fever, no wounds…” Temari then looked out of the window and frowned as she saw the deer slowly retreating back to sleep. She then looked back at his sleeping son and decided she didn’t want to leave the room until morning. 

\-----------------------------

“I’m sure it was just a bad dream.” Hinata said softly as she set the table. Naruto sighed as he leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets “You saw him, right? He’s safe, Naruto-kun. And I already checked the house twice with my Byakugan. Nothing’s around and nothing left any trace.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Naruto smiled a bit back at her “Maybe I’m just stressed out. This day out will really help me recharge.” He sighed and his wife giggled. 

“Daddy, mommy…” Himawari entered the kitchen hugging her favorite plush under her right arm. She was pouting “Onii-chan doesn’t wanna wake up.” She complained and Naruto chuckled before ruffling her had.

“I’ll go wake him up, you go eat breakfast.” He said before turning around. The girl smiled brightly and nodded before sitting down. 

Naruto walked the stairs as he whistled. He was feeling rather relaxed that morning which was a good change after the big scare he felt the night before. He stopped walking when he saw the family pictures hung on the wall. He smiled softly at the one where he was holding his first born in his arms the day he had been born. He’d been twenty years old when he became a father and although he’d been absolutely terrified and completely unprepared for it he had never once regretted it. Boruto had been an accident but he was that one accident he would repeat over and over again. Later on, they had decided they wanted another kid, and that was how Himawari came. 

“Man, it’d be nice to have another one.” Naruto chuckled to himself before he continued walking, making his way over to his son’s room. He knocked on the door twice before slowly opening it up. He quickly sniffled and made a face “It’s really stuffy in here, he’s becoming a teenager alright.” He sighed before walking over to the window and opening it up. He then turned around and started shaking his kid’s shoulder “Boruto? Wake up, breakfast is ready.” He said with a smile. After a bit and with no results he blinked and took the covers off of his son to start tickling his tummy “Come on, kid! If you don’t wake up I’m so gonna embarrass you!” He chuckled and started moving his fingers on the boy’s soft skin. 

Boruto was still snoring lightly, his body completely unmoving except for the falling and raising of his chest with every breath he took. But Naruto stopped his movements and took one long look at the pre teen. Although he seemed to be sleeping he was pale, and although he could see he was breathing he noticed it was as if he was doing so very slowly. 

Just enough to be considered alive.

“Boruto. Wake up right now.” Naruto ordered, his smile disappearing and his hands much rougher now “Boruto!”

“Kit…”

“Boruto, wake up!” He then literally lifted his son, making him sit up on the bed, but the boy’s eyes were still closed.

“Kit! His chakra levels are really low!”

“Fuck!” Naruto roared as he lifted his child in his arms, carrying him bridal style as he rushed downstairs “Hinata!” He then yelled but walked straight to the door.

The woman quickly appeared right next to him as Himawari looked from the kitchen door “Naru...Boruto? What’s going on?!” She exclaimed as she walked over to her baby. The boy seemed to be sleeping. 

“He’s not waking up! I’m taking him to the hospital, stay with Himawari.”

“No, I’m going! How come he’s not waking up?” She watched as Naruto put his sandals on the best he could with the kid in his arms. He was still wearing his pajama shirt and sweatpants but didn’t seem to care. 

“Stay with her and I’ll call you as soon as I know anything, okay? I promise.” He looked deep into her eyes and after taking a long look at her child she nodded and he rushed outside. 

\------------------------------

Shikamaru yawned loudly as he made his way to his son’s room that morning. He had started walking to the kitchen to get some food but he had quickly changed routes when he remembered his boy was ill. It had been a bad night, but after searching through the forest he found nothing so he decided to sleep on the couch while Temari stayed in Shikadai’s room. But since she got up early to start breakfast no one had checked on him for a couple of hours now. 

“Shikadai? How are you feeling?” He opened the door and walked inside. His son was sleeping in the exact same position he had been last night, but that was nothing to be worried about for him since both his kid and himself had the tendency to sleep through anything and barely move during the night. He touched the boy’s forehead and smiled when he realized it wasn’t hot. But that smile slowly disappeared when he kept on touching.

He was cold.

“Shikadai…” He whispered before moving his hands to shake the child’s shoulders “Wake up.” He said much louder, his hands getting rougher not even caring if he hurt him a bit as long as he woke up and was able to tell him he was feeling okay. 

His own hands started shaking when his boy wouldn’t even flutter his eyelids. He quickly noticed he was rather pale. He gulped and slowly pressed his ear against the boy’s chest. He closed his eyes and started growing desperate when he wasn’t hearing anything. 

Suddenly he heard his son’s heartbeat but noticed it was weak.  
His eyes widened “Temari!” He called out “Temari, something’s wrong!” 

That was all it took for him to hear her rushed footsteps getting closer. And even her desperate cries sounded too far away as he continued looking down at his son’s sleeping face.  
He didn’t want to think about just how dead he actually seemed.

\---------------------------------

Naruto and Shikamaru had found themselves looking at each other as they held their unmoving sons in their arms. They didn’t need to speak to understand that the same had happened to both children and that they both felt the same about the situation.  
They were feeling sick with concern and desperate to see their eyes opening up.  
Luckily Sakura was working that morning and she had quickly ordered for both boys to be grabbed from their fathers’ arms and onto hospital gurneys to be examined in another room. She had ordered them both to wait.  
None of them talked. They simply walked around in circles, looking at the ground. Naruto’s eyes were bright red and Shikamaru’s mind was racing trying to find a logical explanation to what was happening even though he really couldn’t.  
Temari had left to go call her brothers. She couldn’t deal with the waiting and she knew her husband wasn’t exactly at his best right now (she wasn’t either) so she had gone seek comfort in her family to both try to keep herself occupied and to inform of what was happening. 

“Naruto, Shikamaru.” Sakura was quick to call them both once she was stepped into the waiting room. Both men turned to look at her. She lifted a hand before they could talk. Her face was completely serious “I’ll be honest with you both. They are not okay.” Naruto gulped and Shikamaru paled at that “I don’t know what’s going on, there’s no brain damage or indication that something is physically wrong. They can’t breath on their own right now but their lungs are okay. They both have the exact same condition. This is clearly something that was done to them.” She frowned deeply “You need to tell me right now if there’s something wrong. They are both in a coma and their chakra levels are at their lowest.”

“I just couldn’t wake him up.” Naruto spoke quietly, his eyes shining with unshed tears “I couldn’t, Sakura-chan. He was okay last night and…” He then looked back down to the ground before his eyes widened and he stared at her “Last night Kurama woke me up because he sensed someone was in the house! In Boruto’s room and-”

“The deer went crazy last night too.” Shikamaru intervened with a frown “They got nervous, almost crazy…”

“Someone...did this then?” Naruto asked quietly as he looked at his advisor “But there was no one when I checked…”

“Someone must have done something, then.” Sakura said “And you both need to find out who it was and what they did.”

Shikamaru quickly turned to look at her “Sakura…”

“I’ll keep them alive.”


	2. Confusion

Shikadai groaned as the sunlight hit his closed eyelids. He turned around in his bed to try and avoid it and sighed happily when he was met again with darkness. He took a deep breath and yawned as he snuggled closer to his pillow. He didn’t want to get up and he knew he wouldn’t until he heard his mother’s voice from the kitchen or his father’s soft knocking on his door. He was too lazy and he wanted to enjoy bedtime as much as possible. 

He took a deep breath.

He could breath well.

His eyes snapped open and he sniffled around but he found no snot. He blinked sleepily before he moved positions to lay on his back, he yawned and stretched his limbs. He then narrowed his eyes a bit when he realized the roof was no longer white but rather creamy looking. 

“Away from home?” A man’s voice asked from right next to his bed and Shikadai quickly got up on the same bed and got into position to fight. 

“Who are...you…” Shikadai frowned a bit after he took a good look at the male sitting calmly on an uncomfortable looking chair. He had a couple of scars on his face but what got his attention was the fact that his hairstyle was the same as his own and his goatee looked too similar to his own father’s. His eyes widened and he slowly lowered his hands. 

“I should be the one asking that since you just appeared on my son’s bed this morning.” He arched an eyebrow. 

“I...I don’t…” The boy then took a moment to look around “This isn’t my room.” He whispered and the man sighed deeply. 

“That’s exactly what I said. This is my son’s. How did you get inside? Why were you sleeping in his bed?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” The man stood up and Shikadai quickly jumped from the bed and stared at the other “Why is your hair exactly like a Nara? Why do you look so much like us?” He turned his body to face the kid “You don’t know that either?” 

“You are Shikaku Nara, correct?” Shikadai whispered after the wheels on his mind started turning “This is...The Nara compound?”

“How do you know my name, kiddo?” Shikaku folded his arms across his chest.

“And this is Shikamaru’s room, correct?” He went on, needing all the confirmation he could get to be able to analyze the situation better. But he didn’t notice the way Shikaku’s eyes turned cold at the mention of his son. 

“If you hu-”

“And this must be before the fourth war.” Shikadai then turned his head to look at the man “Yeah, this has to be before that. Unless my fever got too high last night and I’m delusional. In that case I’m just dreaming this and in that case if I just close my eyes maybe I’ll wake up back home.” He nodded to himself before closing his eyes tightly, he closed his hands into fists and remained that way for a couple of seconds. Afterwards he opened his green eyes again but he was still standing in that room with his grandfather “Okay...Not a dream. A genjutsu?”

“Have you hurt my son in any way?” Shikaku then asked with a serene yet rage induced expression.

“What? No, I haven’t hurt anyone.” Shikadai frowned a bit before putting a hand on his head “Man...Where the hell am I? I think I’m gonna be sick.” He whispered to himself.

“I could say the same.” The man then walked over to the kid who didn’t seem to react until his collar was grabbed. Shikaku eyed him for some long seconds and Shikadai took that time to convince himself that this was very much real. The way the other’s breath hit his nose and the weight of his big hand against his chest and neck were clear signs of it “How old are you?”

“Twelve.” Shikadai spoke quietly and he realized that although he was rather scared and confused he too felt as if this situation wasn’t that bad. This man was his grandfather, he had seen the pictures, he had been told stories, he knew well who this was and somehow he felt safe. Even if it would seem he was being threatened. 

“What’s your name?”

Shikadai stared deep into Shikaku’s eyes and wondered about the answer. He could simply be honest and tell him the truth but he didn’t know what kind of consequences that would have. He could also come up with a lie but then if something were to go down and his grandfather found out maybe he would lose his trust “Shikadai.”

Shikadai could see the wheels turning in the man’s head just by staring into his eyes. He now could see his dad really took after his grandpa “Nara? Shikadai Nara?” He then wondered in a quiet voice and the boy took a deep breath before nodding his head. Shikaku’s grip softened and he slowly let the boy go, but neither of them moved. The man, after some seconds, sighed deeply and rubbed his head “What are you doing here, kiddo?”

It felt as if the tension between them had completely dropped.

“I don’t know. I went to bed last night and I woke up here. I don’t get it.” Shikadai sighed and leaned against the closed door. 

“Did something strange happen before you went to bed?”

“No.” He shook his head “Dad gave me some cold medicine and then I fell asleep.”

“‘Dad’? Who is your father?” Shikaku then asked and Shikadai looked up at him. He then scratched the back of his head. 

“I really don’t know how much I can say…”

“I’ve seen your eyes somewhere. No one in Konoha has those eyes. They look a lot like the current Kazekage’s and his older sister. But I know for a fact that they’re not old enough to have a kid your age.”

Shikadai sighed deeply “Look, I know this will sound crazy and I know I’m most probably hallucinating but…”

“It’s my son, right?” Shikaku’s lips turned upward. 

“How did you know?” Shikadai asked quietly and the man folded his arms across his chest. 

“You have the same mannerisms. I know my kid better than I know myself. It’s like seeing a little green eyed Shikamaru.”

“Yeah, I’ve been told.” Shikadai sighed deeply and he then wrapped his arms around himself “I need to go back. I don’t even know how I got here.”

“I’ll help you. You’re my grandson after all. I’m glad to know Shikamaru actually makes me a grandfather at some point.” Shikaku smirked and it made the boy smile too.

“Yeah but it’s just me. Though they do ‘try’ for another kid a lot.” Shikadai shivered and he blinked when Shikaku chuckled at that. He had never met the man and although he had heard only good things about him he had never imagined seeing him alive and laughing would be so...relaxing. He seemed to be reliable. 

“You can scold Shikamaru for me.” Shikaku smiled “So? Who’s the unlucky lady?” He teased and Shikadai smiled softly as well, feeling at home. 

“You already know.”

“So it is Temari, huh? They both have been dating for a bit now but I don’t think they realized it yet.”

At that Shikadai made a face “I don’t think I even wanna know.” 

Shikaku smiled rather tenderly at the kid, it made Shikadai feel a bit uncomfortable but in a embarrassing way rather than a creepy one. He felt as if he was being examined and although he knew he should already feel used to be considering his own father would sometimes look at him that same way (specially if he was trying to find out if he was lying or hiding something from him). But this felt a bit different.

“Why don’t we have some breakfast? I can cook up something quick.” He then said softly.

“I don’t know if others should know who I am…”

“It’s only just us today. Shikamaru’s out on a mission and my wife is visiting some relatives.”

Shikadai sighed in relief at that and nodded. 

\---------------------------

The Hokage office was rather quiet that day. And it had been that way for a couple of days now. Boruto and Shikadai had been in a coma for exactly three days now and no one had been able to tell the worried families what had happened. Almost everyone was investigating the case, and many shinobis had been sent in search of someone they didn’t even know to see if they could find a culprit in all this. 

“I already sent a message to Sasuke.” Naruto suddenly spoke up and Shikamaru looked up from staring at the ground. He was supposed to be reading some mission reports but he really wasn’t paying any attention. He knew he was supposed to have a cool head even in the worst case scenario, but this was really driving him crazy “He said he is going to check around, see if he can find anything strange.” Naruto sighed deeply “All we can do right now is wait. At least that’s what Sakura-chan told Hinata yesterday.”

“Have you even been to the hospital since then?” Shikamaru wondered and Hinata gripped the pen tightly in his hand “You should go.”

“I can’t see him like that, Shika.” Naruto then said quietly “I can’t until I know how to make it all better. If I go...If I go it would feel like I’ve failed him. And I mean, I let this happen to him inside our own house. I messed up big time.” He smiled sadly “I let someone hurt him, Shika. I let...I let this happen.”

Shikamaru then left the reports on the table and moved to sit down right in front of his friend “Shikadai was sick yesterday. Inojin had to walk him home because he was burning up. And he’d been like that all day and I hadn’t noticed that morning. Temari said she didn’t let me know because she said I’m a cry baby but I know what’s the real reason.” He chuckled bitterly “She assumed I wouldn’t have gone home to check on him, even for a moment. And you know what?” He looked up to stare deep into his Hokage’s eyes “She was right. She was fucking right. I would have kept thinking about him, I would have worried, I would have done a lousy job but I wouldn’t have left to go see him until work was over.” He bit his bottom lip and Naruto sighed deeply. 

“We are terrible parents, huh?” 

“Maybe.” Shikamaru then suddenly stood up “But even if I am, I will do anything to get him back and you have to do the same. I’m leaving for the day. I’ll go be with my kid.”

“And I will accompany you.” A new voice said from the door and both men turned to look at Gaara. His green eyes were rather expressionless but they could see that he was nervous “Kankuro is already at the hospital with Temari and Shikadai. But before going I meant to speak with you.” He then looked at Naruto “She informed me that your son is in the exact same condition. Do you happen to have any news on the matter?”

Naruto shook his head “Nothing at all. I have half the village on it. But nothing.”

“I see.” Gaara nodded “I have my people on it as well. But right now I would like to see the state of my nephew on my own.” He bowed at Naruto.

“I get it.” Naruto said quietly “Go, Shika. I’ll...I’ll finish something and I’ll go too.” 

Shikamaru nodded before turning around to leave with Gaara. 

Naruto sighed deeply and he rubbed his face with his hands before looking around the room until his eyes landed on the pictures of all the Hokages. He smiled a bit before standing up and walking over to the one of his own father.

“Dad...Please keep him safe for me…”

\--------------------------  
Boruto’s eyes widened as they landed on the person standing right next to him. He knew exactly who it was and although his mind was screaming at him that this didn’t make any sense and that he would just go ahead and let himself panic he still held back and kept on staring at the blond man. None of them moved for a while, they just looked at each other trying to find the answer to their unasked questions. 

“You’re…” The boy started speaking and the other’s eyes narrowed “Grandpa!”

Until they widened as well.

“Grand...pa?” The man tilted his head in confusion “What are you talking about, boy?”

“You’re grandpa Minato! Dad’s got pictures of you and grandma all around the house and in his stupid office.” The boy smiled brightly before blinking and looking around “Where am I?”

“Y-You’re at my house and I don’t know who you are but I don’t have any grandkids!” Minato blushed as he stuttered “My own son will be born in a couple of months from now! There’s no way!”

Boruto tilted his head and he looked around again before he slowly got up from the bed “Yeah this isn’t my house. What happened?”

“I should be asking you that.” Minato sighed deeply and he rubbed his eyes “I woke up and you were sleeping on my couch. Who are you?”

“Boruto Uzumaki!” The boy smirked and he reached to grab his headband but quickly realized he didn’t have it and that it was still probably in his room. Wherever that was now.

“Uzumaki?” Minato blinked again “I...Really...I think you must have hit your head. Are you feeling okay?” He then put a warm hand on the boy’s forehead “You don’t have a fever.” He said quietly and Boruto looked up at him with his mouth slightly open “But for now, you should have some breakfast. My wife’s cooking is the best.” He smiled softly down at the pre teen “We can worry about the rest later.”

Boruto opened his mouth a bit more to say something but before any words could come out his stomach growled loudly, making him blush. Minato chuckled.

“Let’s just go eat.” He said before turning around and at that moment Boruto wondered just how careless this guy could be. If he saw things from his perspective he wouldn’t feel calm enough to invite a kid that just happened to appear in his house to breakfast. He wouldn’t turn his back on him since it all could be a big trick and a big threat. But then again, if his grandpa was as strong as his dad then he knew that even with his eyes closed he would end him in a second.   
He was confused himself, of course, he thought at first that this was all a dream but it all felt just too real to be that. He had already seen some great things in his short life so he couldn’t help but find this all very exciting. He finally got to meet the man in the pictures, his family.   
Even if he already missed his mom, sister and dad dearly.

“Kushina!” Minato’s cheerful voice brought him back to reality and he soon realized they were standing in the kitchen. A young woman with long red hair was wearing an apron as she cooked but when she heard his voice she turned around and blinked.   
And for some strange reason in Boruto’s eyes Kushina was really pretty. Not prettier than his mother though. 

“Who is that kid?” She tilted her head in confusion and Boruto’s eyes were instantly drawn to her swollen stomach. 

“Woah, you really are pregnant!” He suddenly exclaimed and the room grew quiet for some seconds “And with my dad!” He then added and Minato sighed deeply before scratching the back of his head. 

“With your...dad?” Kushina blinked and then looked at her husband “Who is this kid?”

“Well...you see…” 

\----------------------------

“Any news?” Gaara’s quiet broke the sad atmosphere when he entered the room his nephew was in. The boy was laying on a hospital bed, his skin was as pale as the sheets that were covering his body. He had thin tubes up his nostrils and an IV in his right arm. He was also connected to a monitor and he thought that the seemingly annoying sound of the beeping of the machine signalling his nephew’s heartbeats couldn’t be sweeter. It let him know that they weren’t too late. There was hope.

“Not really.” Temari whispered without looking up. Her eyes remained on her son’s face as her fingers gently caressed the boy’s unmoving hand. 

“Where is Kankuro?” Gaara asked as he approached the bed to sit on the other side of it. 

“He went to get some coffee.” The woman sighed “Said I look like shit.”

“And I agree.” Gaara nodded and didn’t flinch at the look she gave him “That is quite normal considering the situation. When was the last time you showered? Or even slept through the night?”

“How can I?”

“Now that we are both here you can.” The Kazekage said and she frowned deeply before looking back at the boy in the bed.

“He needs me here.”

“I bet.” He nodded “But knowing him I also bet he would want you to be okay. Besides, he’s not going anywhere.”

“He needs me here, Gaara.”

“Is that really it? Or is it that you need him the most?” He wondered softly and Tamari suddenly stood up. The man didn’t move from his spot and watched as she tightened her fists at her sides “Kankuro and I won’t move from here. I swear. You need to go home, take a shower and sleep tonight. I know I wasn’t always...You need to trust us. If anything at all changes we will let you know.”

Temari then looked back down at her child “He needs me…” She said weakly and Gaara looked at the boy as well.

“Kankuro and I will stay the night. He needs you to be strong right now, and for that you need to rest.” It almost sounded as if he was giving her an order and although that may had been true, she didn’t react. She instead leaned down to press a lingering kiss on Shikadai’s cheek and whisper something in his ear that Gaara didn’t quite catch. But it didn’t matter. 

“Please Gaara...If anything at all happens…”

“I will let you know.” The man nodded and Temari did so as well. She gave his son one last long look before turning around and leaving the room. 

Gaara then looked down at his nephew and stretched his hand to place it on his forehead. The boy’s dark hair was out of his usual ponytail and was now scattered around the white pillow. The man’s fingers threaded gently through them.   
When he had received the call from Temari he hadn’t believed it at first. He had thought that maybe Shikadai was playing some sort of prank on his parents. After all, how could a perfectly healthy child not wake up one morning? It was absurd. But it was just as absurd to think that someone like Shikadai would just pull a prank on anyone. That was Boruto’s doing.   
But even Boruto was in the same situation and so far it wasn’t a prank but rather a terrible nightmare.

“Seems crazy, huh?” Kankuro’s voice broke the silence as he nudged his little brother’s shoulder to hand him a paper cup with steaming coffee inside “It’ll do ya good. It’s really cold outside.” Gaara grabbed it and watched as the other made his way to the other side of the bed, holding a cup himself “I saw Temari leaving. I’m glad you could convince her. She really looked like shit.”

“She told me you told her.” Gaara said before he sipped on his coffee.

“Well, it’s the truth.” Kankuro said “While you were with Naruto I also talked to Sakura. She said the same Temari told you. He’s physically okay but he’s just...not waking up.”

“Shikamaru is speaking to her right now.” Gaara said “I promised Temari we would stay the night.”

“Yeah you didn’t need to do that. I don’t plan on going anywhere.” Kankuro chuckled emotionless.

“Have you called Shinki?”

“Yep. Him, Araya and Yodo are going on their mission tomorrow. But I could hear in the kid’s voice that he wanted to come see his cousin.” He smiled a bit “It wouldn’t surprise me if he suddenly appeared here.”

“If he asks me to delay the mission for this I would say yes.”

“But you know he won’t ask. He’ll want to be done as quick as possible to be able to come. After all, Boruto is his friend and Shikadai his family.” Kankuro looked down at his empty cup “What the fuck is going on, Gaara? This is too strange, specially since it happened to not one but two kids.”

“Politically important kids.” Gaara added and Kankuro nodded “One being the current Hokage’s son and the other being the current Hokage’s advisor’s son.”

“And the nephew of the current Kazekage.” He sighed.

“Naruto told me he’s considering the option of an attack on the village. Maybe it’s a way of weakening him to weakening it. And I agree. I don’t think there’s any other options.”

“Specially if someone as good as Sakura doesn’t know what’s happening.”  
Gaara then stretched his arm to leave the half full cup on a bedside table before gently grabbing his nephew’s hand. It was cold and if it wasn’t for that machine he would think that he was dead. It was a strange sight and it only brought desperation and confusion to his mind.

“Why won’t you wake up, Shikadai?”


	3. Dimensions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next ones are heavily inspired/based by/on the videogame BioShock.  
Please leave kudos and comments if you can! Those are really encouraging!  
Enjoy!

After Kushina experienced some back pain, Minato had insisted on finishing breakfast for her. Even though Boruto was supposed to be talking to her, he couldn’t help but look as his grandfather cooked. The man knew what he was doing and he clearly seemed used to it.  
Kushina smiled softly at the child.

“I’m trying to get better at cooking for the baby.” She said after a bit and Boruto turned to look at her.

“Eh?”

“Minato is really more of a housewife than me.” She giggled “But there are times he won’t be around and I want to make sure my baby gets homemade meals everyday!”

Boruto tilted his head and he bit his bottom lip. Was he supposed to tell her that they wouldn’t be there for their kid? Was he supposed to tell them that their lives would literally go down the drain?  
He didn’t know what was happening, he didn’t know if he was supposed to follow any rules, but he didn’t want to let them down, he didn’t want them to lose happiness. 

“Y-Yeah.” He smiled nervously “Ah! You know? My mom always cooks for my little sister and I! I like cooking too, I guess. They say I’m good at it so I…” ‘I took after grandpa’ he wanted to say, but for some reason he was measuring his words a bit more than usual.

“That sounds amazing, ‘ttebane!” Kushina said happily “Who is your mom? I’d love to meet her! Well, I guess I do meet her, right?”

“Kushina...Are we really going to believe him right away?” Minato wondered rather worriedly from the kitchen. Boruto was grateful that he didn’t have to answer.

“How can we not? He looks just like you.” She turned to look at her husband “Besides, he’s just a little boy!”

“I’m not little!” Boruto pouted “I’m twelve, ‘ttebasa!”

“‘Ttebasa’?” Minato blinked before chuckling himself. He then shook his head in silence and he started serving the food on some plates “Boruto, right?” He then asked and as the boy nodded he pointed at the fridge with his head “Come help me with the juice.” He asked kindly and the child only stood up to go do so.  
Kushina giggled to herself as she caressed her round stomach. She then started humming softly as if she already had her baby in her arms and could soothe him with her voice. She couldn’t help but imagine it. She was far too excited to wait anymore but she also didn’t want this baby to come any sooner because it would mean that there was something wrong with him and she definitely wanted her child to be as healthy as possible.  
Well, any mother would want that?  
She giggled again as she thought of herself as a mother. It was a strange concept, knowing a delicate life would depend on her and that a little kid would be running around the house and calling her 'mommy' and Minato 'daddy'. The future was bright for them.  
But then here was this boy that looked a lot like her husband and kept on speaking about being their grandson from the future. It surely was crazy but for some reason she believed him. He didn't seem to hold any malice in his eyes.  
Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was a woman's sixth sense but she knew this kid was saying the truth. 

"Kushina? Breakfast's ready." Minato's kind voice spoke softly from in front of her as a plate of food was placed right before her eyes. She smiled brightly at that. 

"It looks amazing!" She then pouted "I really wish I could cook like you! I'll be such a bad mother!" 

“Don’t say something like that, Kushina.” Minato scolded her gently “You are learning.” He then sat down. 

Boruto felt a little weird at sitting down with the couple and although he could see his father in them both and although he knew exactly who they were he still felt wrong. These people were too young to be grandparents because they were. His hasn’t even been born yet and he himself wasn’t even into consideration.  
What the hell was he doing here?

“Don’t look so troubled when you’re having breakfast.” Kushina said softly and Boruto looked up at her. He blushed a bit and nodded.

“Sorry.”

“So…” The woman started as she ate “You went to bed last night and you just woke up here. You don’t remember eating anything weird or seeing anyone strange.” She went through the explanation the boy had given them before “I don’t get it.”

“Me neither, ‘ttebasa.” Boruto sighed “But I mean, maybe this is like one of those stories where the protagonist has to save someone or solve something to get back!” He grinned as he remembered one of the movies he liked to watch with his friends. 

His grandparents blinked at that and they looked at each other “Well…” Minato started “It’s a possibility, but why send a kid?” He put his hand on his chin “Why a genin? Why not send someone more...capable?”

“Hey, I’m strong ‘ttebasa!” He complained and Minato chuckled. 

“I’m sure you are, but there are stronger people out there, Boruto. You shouldn’t close yourself to that but rather use it as fuel to get better.” He said softly and the boy blinked as he stared at him. 

“Maybe that makes sense, but I’m still strong.”

“I’m sure you are.” Minato said softly. 

\------------------------------

Himawari was laying down on the hospital bed right next to her brother. She had one arm wrapped around him and her head resting on his shoulder. Her face seemed worried, it had already been two weeks and Boruto still wouldn’t wake up. She didn’t understand what was happening but she didn’t like it. She wanted him back. She wanted her big brother back.  
She moved her head to look at his face and she sniffled. One would think that she would have already stopped crying but her tears never stopped coming whenever she would look at him. At first, she had brought books and plushies so she could read him stories and play around him, maybe that way he would hear her and come back.  
But that never happened.  
Naruto entered the room and he slowly closed the door behind him. He didn’t like coming here, he didn’t like seeing his son’s pale face, his daughter’s tears or his wife’s anguish. But he knew he couldn’t just leave his kid alone like that and so he made sure he would come everyday and when he wasn’t around he was always working on ways to get him back. Even if that took him nowhere. 

“You should go home now, Hima.” He spoke softly as he walked over to the girl to put a gentle hand on her head “Mama will be out of the bathroom soon to come pick you up.”

“I wanna stay.” She said quietly and Naruto sighed deeply. 

“You know you can’t. You need to go back and have dinner.”

“When is he waking up?” She asked for the hundredth time and Naruto really wished he could give her an answer.

“I don-”

“We don’t know, but soon.” Someone opened the door and looked at the scene unfolding in front of him. Naruto turned his head and his mouth opened in awe.

“Sasuke? What are you doing here?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be nice of me if I just were to disappear on my student when he needed me the most.”

“Needed you?”

“That is something we need to talk about. Alone.” He cut Naruto off before slowly yet surely making his way over to the little girl. He knelt down as she sat up on the bed to face him “I know we don’t talk much.” He started saying “But I will need you to trust me when I tell you that I can bring him back.”

“Sasuke, you should-” Naruto frowned but his best friend simply lift a hand to stop him. 

“This is not an empty promise.” He continued talking to the girl “Don’t lose faith in him.” He then stood back up just as Hinata opened the door. Himawari looked at Sasuke for a long moment before she nodded her head. 

“Himawari.” Hinata’s calm yet saddened voice spoke “We need to go back home.” She then walked over to her son and leaned down to kiss his forehead “I love you, Boruto. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Himawari quickly did the same “I’ll be back, onii-chan!” She whispered with a big grin on her face “Uncle Sasuke will help you!”

Hinata blinked at that and looked at her husband who simply shook his head, not knowing either. The woman sighed before gently grabbing her daughter’s hand to leave. But before that she kissed Naruto and bowed to Sasuke.  
When the door closed, the Hokage was quick to look at the Uchiha “Sasuke! You shouldn’t speak like that to Himawari! I don’t want her to lose hope but I don’t want her to think it will be that easy or that we know what we’re doing!”

“Speak for yourself, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke walked over to the bed and knelt down. He then moved his hair and opened both eyes wide “I can feel his chakra. Shikadai’s too. I know where they are.”

Naruto’s eyes widened and he froze in place. He gulped and then his eyes travelled towards his son “You know? Then where are they? They are in this hospital, Sasuke! How can they be somewhere else?”

“Their bodies are, but their souls aren’t here. Their bodies have enough chakra to be kept alive but it is slowly running out.” He added “If we don’t bring them back then they will die and that will be the end.” He slowly stood up and faced his friend “They are in another dimension. Different dimensions.”

“Then let’s go!” Naruto suddenly said as he tightened his fists “Let’s get them back!”

“Not so fast, Naruto.” Sasuke suddenly said and the Hokage’s eyes narrowed “I’m the only one who can open portals to other dimensions. I will have to open two portals for this and for that I will need a clone. But I can’t let you go alone since you wouldn’t know how to get back.”

“Then send me with a clone!”

“What if something happens and that clone disappears? I would be preoccupied getting the other back to open a portal for you.”

“Then what do you propose, Sasuke?” Naruto walked over to him and grabbed his collar “I don’t know if you noticed but my son and the kid I consider my nephew are in danger! I can’t sit around and do nothing for them!”

“You will remain here and keep them alive.”

“How?! I’m not Sakura-chan! I’m not a medic nin!”

“But you have big amounts of chakra inside of you.” Sasuke said calmly and Naruto’s grip slowly weakened “You have to stay here and keep them alive by giving them small portions of your chakra. Sakura can do that but she and other medics would eventually run out and end up risking their lives. You’re strong enough to hold on until I get back with them.” 

Naruto bit his bottom lip and he let his friend go before turning around to look at his son “You will get one first and then the other…”

“I will. And your job will be to stay right here with them, keep them alive, don’t go anywhere.”

“But my job-”

“Your job is what I just said.” The man spoke harshly and Naruto’s eyes widened “I already talked to Shikamaru, he will cover for you and keep investigating, and you will stay right here making sure their chakra levels don’t get any lower.”

The blond man’s eyes roamed over his child’s face and he stretched his arm to gently caress the two whiskers on his right cheek. He smiled sadly yet lovingly before taking a deep breath straightening his back to face his dear friend “Please bring them back, Sasuke. Please...Save my son…”

Sasuke smirked at him “I can’t just abandon my dear student.” He teased “And I’m sure Shikamaru would bury me alive if I didn’t bring Shikadai back.”

“Yeah, you can bet on it.”

\----------------------------------

“Then there will be a fourth war.” Shikaku spoke quietly with Shikadai as they played shogi “You’re good.”

“Not as good as dad. And yes. I assume you already knew since it doesn’t surprise you.”

“We all knew something big was coming. But some of us didn’t really want to believe that it was as big as a shinobi war. We don’t need another one.”

“Peace will come. But it needs to happen.” Shikadai moved a piece.

“I won’t compromise you and ask you who dies in it. I don’t want to think that I can just play with destiny and save anyone that was supposed to go. I’m just glad to know my kid lives long enough to have a family of his own.”

Shikadai frowned a bit and didn’t dare look at his grandfather “Yeah, he sure does.” He sighed and Shikaku searched into his pocket for a cigarette. his grandson frowned “That’s a horrible habit.” He scolded and the man blinked.

“Well, my wife tells me all the time.” He put one in between his lips and lit it up.

“Like father, like son.” Shikadai whispered and Shikaku blinked at that.

“Well, it seems I was right then.” He said and Shikadai blinked.

“Shit, I said that outloud…”

“I already knew. Shikamaru started smoking when Asuma, his sensei, died. Speaking of which, how is Mirai doing? I’m guessing she’s what? A teenager in your time?”

“Yeah, she’s annoying.” Shikadai said as he watched his grandfather move another piece “But I guess she’s cool. A little clumsy.”

“I’m glad.” Shikaku smiled softly and Shikadai stared at him. 

“I’m starting to think this is more an opportunity than a mission.” The boy said quietly as he played. 

“An opportunity to what?” Shikaku wondered before he took a long drag at his cigarette.

“I can’t tell.” The pre teen said “But maybe that’s it. Although I don’t understand why someone would do this to me just so that I can have this opportunity. But since I’m not dreaming and apparently I’m not delusional either then that means, this means, that time travel exists.”

“And if this isn’t just time travel?” Shikaku wondered and Shikadai’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean? What else could it be?” 

“I’ve always wondered about it. Once I read a book about multiple dimensions, parallel dimensions.” He spoke and Shikadai was not paying attention to the board anymore “Let’s say, you live with your parents, correct? And then you come here, a time in which your parents were teenagers. But what if this past isn’t that same past? What if this is happening at the exact same time as your present? And what if at the same time your future is happening as well?”

“That would be…”

“Crazy, I know. But this is all strange. I’ve read about it in a book that I cannot find anymore.”

“You can’t find it?”

“I know where I put it, I don’t forget things easily. But it’s not there. And then you appear. I’m starting to believe it’s all actually real.”

Shikadai looked back down at the board and slowly moved a piece, winning the game. But none of them cared “I know other dimensions, with different places and times are possible. But...not...this…” He put a hand on his chin as he crossed his legs “Past, present and future happening at the same time...Then I just need some sort of portal that takes me…” He looked to his side “...to the dimension where I belong, right next to this one?” He thought out loud and Shikaku smirked. 

“You’re a Nara alright.”

\--------------------------------

“I will help you.” Gaara told Naruto after he had been explained of what was happening and what the planning was “I will stay in Shikadai’s room and control his vitals. If anything happens I will let you know.”

Naruto nodded at that “We can only believe in Sasuke now.”

“And do you?”

“Of course, ‘ttebayo! Sasuke is Konoha’s Hokage as well, at least in my eyes, he’s a hero.” He grinned and Gaara chuckled quietly. 

“Then I will put my nephew in the hands of the heroes of Konoha.”

“I will be going now.” Sasuke said before making a clone. Said clone opened a portal with it’s rinnegan “I shall repeat it, do not follow me.” He warned them before walking to said portal.

“I leave Shikadai in your hands.” Gaara bowed and Naruto nodded.

“And I, my son.” He watched as his best friend left, his shadow clone disappeared as soon as Sasuke was gone “Man, I really don’t want to sit around and wait!”

“Your task is just as important, Naruto.” Gaara reminded him.

“I know, I know. I just...I wish I could go get my kid myself.” Naruto let himself fall down in the seat next to his son’s hospital bed “I’m his dad after all. But I guess even after all these years he’s still more reliable and cool than I’ll ever be.”

“That is not right and you should already know it.” Gaara said as he folded both arms across his chest “You can’t open portals like him, and you can’t sense people’s chakras when they are out of this current dimension. This will be faster since he knows exactly where they are. But if any of their bodies perish is game over.”

“I know, I know...So now we wait.”

“Now we wait.”


End file.
